LAKE CHARLES, La. -
Conner Westenburg and
Chase Keeton were named to the Academic All-District Team as announced by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Tuesday morning to represent McNeese Baseball for the third consecutive year.
Keeton concluded his collegiate career as a redshirt senior with the Cowboys, playing primarily as a third baseman. The Waco, Texas native started 58 of the 59 games he played in for the Pokes, earning 53 hits behind the plate for an average of .250 on the season. He had 21 extra-base hits with 14 doubles, one triple, and six homers. He graduated in the spring of 2024 with his degree in General Studies - Arts & Humanities.
Westenburg, a junior, adds the Academic All-District honor to his hardware shelf for the 2024 season. He was named to the Southland Conference All-Defensive Team ahead of the SLC Baseball Tournament while being named SLC Hitter of the Week once during the season. The Porter, Texas native hit .296 for the Cowboys with 69 hits, 26 of those coming in the form of extra bases. He smashed six home runs out of the park while collecting 17 doubles and three triples.
The center fielder started all 59 games for the Cowboys, starting off in the left field before making an early switch to center. Westenburg stole 20 bases on the season to sit second in the conference, only behind his teammate
Cooper Hext who led with 25. He's working to get his degree in General Studies - Behavorial Studies with Sociology and Applied Statistics minors.
Westenburg will receive consideration for CSC Academic All-America honors to be announced on July 2, 2024.
Both members of the squad helped the Cowboys to making their fourth SLC Championship Game appearance in the last five seasons, each starting all five games for the Pokes during the tournament run.
The 2023 season saw three members named to the Academic All-District Team with one member in 2022 being named a CoSIDA/CSC Academic District VI All-American for the Cowboys. Twelve members of MCNeese squads have been named to the two teams in the history of the program.
